NIGHT 65: WEST WING, SOUTH HALL 1-A

[his_legacy]

[From here]

No time was wasted in this short stretch of hallway. Link had run across all of Hyrule Field. This hospital was quite small in comparison.

Praying that he wouldn't come across anything to slow him down, Link turned into the main hallways.

[To here]

Comments

[impudentsongbird]

Castiel and Kratos had been here much longer; no doubt Castiel knew better the limits of his human body than Gabriel did. So the Archangel conceded with a slow nod. He let Castiel slide out from under his hand, but stepped up by the other angel’s side. Kratos had a weapon, and Gabriel wasn’t especially a warrior in any case; better than Kratos lead and Gabriel care for Castiel should Castiel need it.

He kept his torch off to conserve the battery, since Castiel had his on, remaining just a half-step behind and to the side of his brother. Skul’s knotted rosary was in his pocket; he held it loosely in his palm. The darkness was as stifling as ever, left him feeling as blind as ever, but it was less frightening now he wasn’t alone.

Still, he was the last to realise there was anything happening, though he froze as soon as he did, his eyes drawn inexorably to the monster in the Institute’s clothing. The Archangel paled. Was that what Castiel was meant to change into?

Not if he could help it. Though Gabriel’s distress was plain on his face, his touch and voice were steady as he took Castiel’s elbow. They’d need all the speed they could summon, and that meant Castiel would need all the help he could get. “Come on,” he said. “Lean on me if you need to.”

Mentally he was paging through his options for the potential battle. There were some things he knew from his meditation earlier in the day. He had some measure of power left; he could feel it and had marked some of its avenues. His voice was lacking, but he wasn’t surprised by that—it would have been the first thing Lucifer would take from him. Neither did he have any weapons, nor the qualities of his angelic form. Instead he turned to his list of shapes, the ones well-worn, the ones he knew best and might be able to utilise in a battle. He nudged them one by one, just to test whether he could draw them over him, and one by one they nudged back in resistance.

Except a handful. Only one would be of use in a fight, and it was very much not a shape Gabriel ever wanted to assume again. The Archangel swallowed hard and prayed, silently, that he wouldn’t need it.

[freewill]

To come across something like this so soon was something that Castiel should have better prepared for. Somehow, that didn't soften the blow of seeing a creature that had clearly once been a patient and was now attacking others. The clothing made it impossible to deny, not that Castiel was one to hide from the truth in the first place.

Was that what he might turn into? A being made up almost completely of darkness, driven by nothing by the urge to harm and kill? The only real consolation here was that he hadn't turned yet, which possibly meant he was in the clear for tonight. Still, he couldn't even assume that much, and they needed to keep moving.

It seemed that all three of them were in agreement that they couldn't get involved. Besides, with three other patients already dealing with the transformed one, there was a chance they would be more of a harm than a help.

When Gabriel grabbed for his arm and urged him along, Castiel stared at him for a brief moment, hardly understanding this strange angel who was supposedly his brother. He was more or less the opposite of the Gabriel he knew, offering aid when the other would have just as easily laughed in his face.

Of course, deep down even his sibling had a sense of morals, of doing the right thing. His sacrifice was proof of that.

But he was getting caught up in things that shouldn't have mattered at the moment. Castiel nodded and started to move, working his way around the corner. Once they reached the next hall, he glanced over his shoulder at Kratos, not wanting the man to remain behind. This would all be for nothing if he didn't come with, after all. "Come on," he called back before he turned the corner.

[To here.]